Evening.
After spending the entire afternoon working at the orphanage—hauling supplies, mowing the lawn…
Soren sat on a bench and pounded his aching shoulders. Housework like this was honestly more exhausting than chopping up demons.
He and Patty walked into the office to say goodbye to the nun.
Instead, they found the couple who had given them a ride still there, now arguing heatedly with Sister Abigail.
The husband, John, insisted on adopting Esther and taking her away today, but the nun's attitude was rock-solid refusal.
Thanks to Soren's earlier warning, she had spent the afternoon digging into Esther's background.
The results had left her blood running cold.
Not only was there zero online record of Esther's past, but when she called the Russian orphanage listed in the files, the number didn't even exist.
"I already said I'm taking her! I can finish all the paperwork later!"
John slammed his hand on the table in irritation.
"John, calm down. The sister has her reasons…"
His wife Kate stood to the side, trying to soothe him gently.
"This isn't your decision to make!"
John whipped his head around and snapped mercilessly, "If you hadn't been drinking yourself stupid every day and nearly killed our child, who knows—maybe the third one died in your belly because of all the alcohol in your body?!"
The words cut into Kate like a knife.
Her face went deathly pale. She covered her mouth as tears poured down.
Patty, standing just outside the door, couldn't take it anymore.
She shoved the half-open door wide and stormed in furiously. "What the hell kind of garbage are you spouting, you bastard?!"
John turned, giving the young girl a cold stare.
"This is a family matter. It's none of your business, little girl."
At that moment, Esther—who had been standing quietly in the corner—flashed a venomous look across her lowered face.
Her disguise had been perfect. Who the hell had snitched?!
Sister Abigail looked at the tense group and said, "I've already called the police."
"Once the police verify the suspicious points in her files and confirm everything checks out, you can proceed with the adoption anytime."
"But right now, no one is taking her away."
Hearing this, Esther's pupils shrank.
If the police got involved and ran bone-age and fingerprint checks, her secret hidden for years would be completely exposed. She'd be dragged back to that mental hospital!
She had to break the deadlock, stir up chaos, and escape.
Esther's gaze swept across the office and finally locked onto Soren standing at the door. An idea formed.
It was this strange man. After he said a few words to the nun that afternoon, the sister's attitude toward her had done a complete 180.
Since that's the case, don't blame me for being ruthless!
She quietly took half a step back, grabbed a sharp paper knife from the desk, and hid it in her sleeve.
Then, pretending to be terrified by John's angry outburst, Esther backed toward the door like a frightened fawn—only to "accidentally" bump straight into Soren.
While everyone's attention was focused on the arguing couple,
Esther didn't hesitate. She slashed the blade hard across her own forearm!
"Ah!"
A terrified scream drew every eye. Blood soaked her sleeve and dripped to the floor.
Using the momentum of falling, she tossed the bloodied paper knife at Soren's feet.
Clutching her bleeding arm, she pointed at Soren in fear, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Don't kill me… please don't kill me! Daddy John, save me!"
"He threatened me… said if I went with you, he'd kill me."
The sudden twist left everyone stunned.
Patty's eyes widened. She had noticed Esther moving earlier.
Watching the girl's realistic performance now, rage boiled over. "What the hell are you talking about?! It was clearly you who—"
She was cut off when Soren grabbed her wrist.
Soren shook his head at her. He wanted to see exactly what trick Esther was trying to pull.
John saw Esther injured and on the ground, her innocent big eyes looking up at him tearfully.
A powerful protective instinct surged straight to his head. As if bewitched, he swung his fist at Soren.
"You scumbag!"
Soren didn't hold back either. He delivered one heavy punch.
Bang!
John's eyes bulged. He clutched his stomach in agony and collapsed to the floor, twitching like a boiled shrimp.
"Calm down, sir."
Soren looked down at him coldly.
Sister Abigail frantically dug out a first-aid kit from the drawer and rushed over to bandage Esther's wound.
She glanced at the paper knife on the floor, then at the expressionless Soren. "Mr. Soren, this is…?"
She did suspect there might be some misunderstanding, but the scene before her made it hard not to waver.
After all, how could such a pure and fragile-looking little girl be vicious enough to cut herself and frame someone else?
Esther, face full of fear, secretly glanced at Soren from the corner of her eye. The corner of her mouth curled up imperceptibly.
Adults always blindly sympathize with the weak. As long as she acted pitiful enough, all the suspicion would naturally fall on this damn man.
Watching Esther's self-satisfied "flawless" performance, Soren not only didn't defend himself—he stepped forward, grabbed the girl by the collar in front of everyone, and lifted her up.
"Ah! What are you doing?! Let her go!"
The nun cried out, trying to stop him.
Soren ignored the shouts and stared coldly into Esther's triumphant eyes.
"Your acting is really terrible."
He raised his hand and slapped her across the face.
Slap!
Esther's cheek swelled instantly red. The fake braces she used for disguise flew out.
Instead of fear, a flash of delight at her scheme succeeding appeared in her eyes.
Hit me. The harder you hit, the more solid your crime becomes.
When the police arrive, charges of intentional injury and child abuse will be enough to put you in prison for years.
John, who had recovered slightly on the floor, saw Esther being hit and roared, "You bastard! You actually hit a child!"
"A child?"
Soren tossed Esther to the ground and scoffed. He pointed at the surveillance camera in the corner of the office.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this isn't some brain-dead movie. We live in a society ruled by law—evidence is what matters."
Esther followed his finger and looked. The cold smile on her lips froze. Her face turned deathly pale.
John hadn't noticed Esther's guilty reaction. He struggled to his feet, glaring at Soren with pure hatred, grinding his teeth.
"Yes! Check the footage! Sister, save the video immediately! I'm calling the police. I'm suing you, you lunatic!"